


Had Me From Hello

by Firalla11



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Alternate Universe - Not Hockey Player(s), Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Established Relationship, Getting Together, M/M, Multi, Multiple Soulmates, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Relationship Negotiation, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-08
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-11-21 12:52:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11357901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firalla11/pseuds/Firalla11
Summary: Andy leans closer to the mirror, frowning a little at the small, dark blue patch on his ribs, a bruise he can’t remember receiving, such an odd shape, painless when he prods it-It’s not a bruise.





	Had Me From Hello

**Author's Note:**

  * For [stonesnuggler](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stonesnuggler/gifts).



> Huge, huge thanks to C and V for helping me work out just what this fic needed, and to R for betaing! As ever, it's greatly appreciated! <3
> 
> A Poly Exchange gift for andrewshawsome - I tried to fit as many of your likes into this fic as I could. I hope you like it!
> 
> Title from Kenny Chesney's ["You Had Me From Hello"](http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/kennychesney/youhadmefromhello.html).
> 
> -This fic starts off Bollig/Shaw and Leddy/Saad, just so we’re clear about which Brandon is which in the beginning.  
> -Brandon’s working hours are probably not at all true to life, but roll with me on it, yeah?

Andy shifts carefully out from under Brandon’s arm. Some days he stays in bed while Brandon sleeps. Other days, like today, he’s too restless not to get up, to get moving. He’s had plenty of practice by now, at least, at getting out of bed without disturbing Brandon.

He can’t resist kissing Brandon’s cheek before he pads into the bathroom, though. He grins when Brandon’s face scrunches up in his sleep, just for a beat, before it smooths again.

He turns the shower on, leaving it to heat up past the level of bone-chilling ice it always is this early. He finds his gaze caught on his reflection as he straightens. He’s naked, sleeps unclothed more often than he doesn’t; he sleeps better, mornings are smoother when he doesn’t have anything to take off before he hops in the shower.

He leans closer to the mirror, frowning a little at the small, dark blue patch on his ribs, a bruise he can’t remember receiving, such an odd shape, painless when he prods it–

It’s not a bruise.

Andy yelps – a sound he’s going to deny he ever made, a reaction he’s going to pretend he never had – and gives up on looking at the reflection to stare down at the real thing. At the _Brandon_ on his ribs, curling around from his stomach to his back, letters more jagged than _his_ Brandon’s mark: simple black letters across his shoulder blades, just below the nape of his neck.

He didn’t love the placement at first, didn’t love that his Soulmark is somewhere he can’t see with just a glance, but it didn’t take long for him to change his mind.

The way Brandon’s teeth feel on his skin as he fucks Andy – the way Brandon kisses him there afterwards – may have helped.

His new mark is small. Dark blue. Easily hidden by the length of his hand, he realizes, as he covers it, as if not being able to see it now will change the fact that it’s there. That he has another Soulmate.

He feels sick, his stomach in knots. He’s already been through this. He has Brandon. Has the happy ending they worked so hard for. What– what is he supposed to do _now?_

“Andy? Are you–”

Andy whirls around, startled. He doesn’t know how long he’s been standing here – it can’t have been long if Brandon’s coming in, asking that like he has reason to worry – but it feels like it’s been hours, suddenly, since he got out of bed.

Brandon’s standing in the doorway between the bedroom and the bathroom, squinting, blinking. Staring. His gaze isn’t on Andy’s face.

Andy dropped his hand from his side when he turned. He must have made enough noise at his discovery to wake Brandon, and now. And now– “I…”

He trails off, lost for words like he so rarely is. He covers the mark again.

Brandon takes a breath. Andy tracks the rise and fall of his shoulders as Brandon steps further into the room. Brandon reaches for him, but he doesn’t pull him in. He rests his hand on Andy’s arm again, thumb brushing lightly over _another_ Soulmark, Andy realizes when he looks down. Deep green, like a thick forest, a canopy of branches, letters spiralling around his bicep, each dipping lower in turn. _Nicholas._

“Brandon, I–”

Brandon squeezes his arm and Andy falls silent. Brandon’s smile is crooked, unsteady when Andy wrenches his gaze up. Andy wants to close what little distance there is between them, sink into Brandon like he thinks they both need, but he’s not sure it– not sure he’d be welcomed now.

And some of that must show on his face, because Brandon’s expression – the confusion and the shock – twist up into a look Andy can’t name before Brandon tugs Andy to him.

Andy goes, clings helplessly, presses his face to his name on Brandon’s chest, dark red lettering scrawled in an arch over Brandon’s heart.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers.

Brandon shakes his head, his chin digging into the top of Andy’s. “Not your fault.”

“But–”

“No, Andy. It’s–” He doesn’t say it’s okay, and Andy gets that. He’s not sure it’s okay. Can’t imagine how complicated his feelings would be if Brandon was the one who woke up with two more Soulmates and– Andy jerks away quickly, not enough to break the hold Brandon has on him, but enough to look over Brandon’s skin, searching, hoping. “Anything?”

Andy shakes his head, hooks a thumb in the waistband of Brandon’s briefs, and tugs them to the floor when Brandon nods. Still nothing. Andy does take another step back then, putting a hand on Brandon’s hip, urging him to turn.

The only marks on Brandon’s skin are his tattoos and Andy’s Soulmark. And the small, mouth-shaped bruises Andy left near his hips last night.

Andy exhales, unsteady, and steps back into Brandon’s arms. “You don’t.” He’s not sure if it hurts him more to say or Brandon more to hear.

“Right,” Brandon says, soft. “Right.”

Andy squeezes his eyes shut. The shower’s still running behind him, slowly heating the air.

It could be any other Sunday morning, if it weren’t for the crushing grip Brandon has him in. It isn’t, though. It isn’t and they both know it.

“Now what?” Brandon asks. His voice is soft. Unsure. It’s– different. Brandon’s usually the one with all the answers. The one who steadies them both. But they’re both reeling. Surprised. Shocked.

Andy’s tempted to joke about just staying in their apartment for the day, not going out, not giving them a chance to meet, but that’s not how it works. That’s not how _any_ of this works. He woke up with new Soulmarks. He’s going to meet his new Soulmates today no matter what he does, no matter the decisions he makes. It’s inevitable.

What happens after that meeting is not.

Andy takes a deep breath, his chest expanding against Brandon’s. “I don’t know.”

He doesn’t. He just– doesn’t. What is he supposed to do? To say? He knows it happens, knows that sometimes– sometimes people who have met, people who are with their Soulmate, _happy_ with their Soulmate will wake up with another name. Another Soulmate. He knows. They both know. But he never– they never planned for this. It happens so rarely – rare enough that he’s never met anyone it’s happened to – that he never considered it. It never crossed his mind that they should.

“I’m not– I’m not going to stand in your way if you want to get to know them,” Brandon says, eventually.

“I–” Andy stops. His gut reaction is that he doesn’t _want_ to get to know them, that he won’t – ever – but. They’re his Soulmates too, for whatever that’s worth. For however much it matters. “I love you.”

“I know,” Brandon says. “You too.” It’s easy, the way he says it. There’s a warmth in his voice, an almost calm that Andy thinks most people would take at face value. Andy’s not most people. And even if he’d been fooled, Brandon’s arms tighten around him, pulling him closer, impossibly so. “It’s not like you’re going to leave me for them,” Brandon adds.

Andy’s chest squeezes. Brandon’s tense in his arms. Andy hugs him tighter. “Of course I’m not, B.”

If there’s anything he’s sure of, it’s that. He loves Brandon. Brandon’s his _Soulmate._ If Nicholas and Other Brandon can’t accept that, that he and Brandon are a package deal, that he has a Soulmate they don’t, then– then–

“I love you,” he says again. It’s a plea. A prayer.

It’s all he has.

He loves Brandon. Brandon’s his Soulmate. But not his only one. Not anymore. He doesn’t know how to adjust to that fact. It’s been him and Brandon for so long – for months. Years – but this is happening. Is going to happen. They can’t change it. Can’t ignore it.

A small part of Andy doesn’t think he would if he could. He wasn’t– they weren’t expecting this, but he can’t bring himself to wish away a Soulmate.

He takes another breath. He’s not sure knowing that makes this easier.

“We’re gonna run out of hot water soon,” Brandon says. His lips brush Andy’s hair as he speaks.

Andy swallows. “Guess we’re gonna have to share.”

It’s a long moment before either of them relax their grips enough to put even a little distance between them. Even then, Andy only goes far enough to tug Brandon towards the shower. They’re lucky they found a place with one big enough to fit them both.

They slip into a familiar rhythm then, a familiar routine that takes them through showering and dressing and breakfast. Getting ready for the day. There’s an undercurrent to it all, though. A tension that neither of them can shake despite their best efforts. And they do try. They double check their shopping list for the grocery store and they talk about the game they’re going to watch later. Normal stuff. Everyday stuff. But the tension hasn’t dissipated by the time they finish breakfast, and Andy’s finding it harder and harder to keep still, to pretend nothing has changed under the weight of it all.

“I’m gonna go grab the mail,” Andy says, springing to his feet as Brandon starts stacking plates to take to the kitchen. “I’ll be right back.”

Brandon nods. Andy pauses long enough to kiss him – there’s more emotion in it than a brief goodbye really warrants, but Andy’s not complaining – before he heads for the door.

He shoves his feet into his shoes and then finds himself lingering. Leaving the confines of their apartment taking more effort than it should. He feels wrung out already, tense with anticipation, expectation, and the day has barely started.

He takes a breath. It only helps a bit.

It’s hard to calm down knowing he could meet his new Soulmates at any time. He’s inclined to think together – at the same time, even – simply because both names appeared today, but he could be wrong. It doesn’t do to make assumptions with these things. For all he knows they’re strangers to each other, too.

He’s not sure which would be better.

The trip down to the lobby is uneventful. He doesn’t see anyone – neighbours or strangers – until he’s sorting through the last couple days of their mail.

He glances over his shoulder at the sound of footsteps behind him. There’s a guy with dark hair taking a box over to the elevator. Andy finds himself watching until the elevator doors close behind him. He shakes it off then, realizes he’s been standing there, staring at a stranger’s back for longer than he ever meant to. He dumps the junk mail in the recycling bin and heads for the elevator himself.

He’s thumbing through envelopes as he waits for the car to come back down. He misses the sound of footsteps this time, misses all the sounds that mean he’s not alone in the room until a soft spoken voice asks him to hold the elevator.

Andy reflexively hits the button to keep the doors open. It wasn't a voice he recognized. Isn't someone he knows, he realizes as he’s joined in the elevator by another guy with a box under his arm.

“Thanks,” he says, flashing Andy a crooked smile.

“No problem,” Andy says, trying not to stare. This guy has the bluest eyes Andy’s ever seen. Andy swallows as he lets go of the button. “What floor do you need?”

“Fifth, thanks.”

Andy blinks. “Fifth, huh? Me too.”

Blue Eyes blinks back. “Me and Nick are moving into five-oh-three.”

Andy’s stomach swoops. It only has a little to do with the elevator.

Nick– Nicholas? His Soulmate Nicholas? That– that would most likely make this guy – Brandon? – his Soulmate too.

There’s only one way to know for sure.

“Brandon and I are in five-oh-two,” Andy says, and he forces his fingers to uncurl before he crunches their mail. “I’m Andrew. Andy usually…”

He trails off. His newest neighbour’s eyes have gone tellingly wide. “Brandon,” he says. “I’m Brandon.”

They’re both staring at each other now. Andy doesn’t realize the elevator’s stopped until the chime sounds and the doors slide open.

He follows Other Brandon out into the hall. The silence is heavy between them until they turn the corner. Andy swallows. Brandon’s in the hall near their apartment, in conversation with the dark-haired guy Andy saw downstairs.

“My Brandon,” Andy explains, voice pitched too low to carry.

Other Brandon swallows. “And that’s Nick.”

“Nicholas,” Andy says. Other Brandon nods. “Your Soulmate?” Another nod.

Andy takes a breath. His new Soulmates are also each other's Soulmates. Right.

Right.

The door across the hall from his and Brandon’s place is propped open now. Andy steps closer to Brandon’s side. There’s a subtle tightness in his expression that eases only a little when he rests his arm around Andy’s waist.

He knows exactly who he’s been speaking with. Would have known the moment Nick introduced himself, because he has no doubts Brandon started their conversation with that if Nick hadn’t. Brandon’s polite. And he’s not stupid.

Other Brandon adds his box to the pile just inside the entry to his apartment. “Hey,” he says, and it’s clear he’s speaking to Nick as he straightens, gesturing a little to Andy. “This is Andrew. Andy.”

Nick blinks then, looking between Brandon and Andy. “Andrew?” he says, and there’s a question in the word.

“Yeah,” Andy says, leaning into Brandon a little further. “Hi.”

Nick offers them both a small smile, almost hidden by his thick, dark beard. Almost shy, Andy thinks, and his heart squeezes in his chest. “Hi.”

Conversation fades to a silence that’s far from easy. Andy’s lost for words – twice in one morning. He can’t remember the last time that happened.

Tension grows as the silence stretches on, as they all look each other over, unspeaking. Nick and Other Brandon are holding hands now, their grip on each other white-knuckled. Andy gets it. Neither of them were expecting to wake up with another Soulmate any more than he was. Nick and Other Brandon seem equally unprepared for the reality of the situation they’re in now. Equally unsure how to proceed.

Brandon shifts against him, fingers pressing briefly to his waist, silently gaining Andy’s attention.

“Do you want to come by for dinner?” Brandon asks, and Andy can see that neither Nick nor Other Brandon were expecting that, either.

They trade a look, hold a silent conversation that takes no more than a beat to play out, then Other Brandon turns to them. “It’d be good to have a break from unpacking,” he says. “We’d like that.”

Brandon inclines his head. “Come over around six?”

Nick nods. “We’ll be there.”

There’s a pause, then Brandon tugs gently on Andy’s hip, leading him away. Andy goes, retreats with him back into their own apartment before they’re all subject to another awkward silence, but he finds himself looking over his shoulder, making brief eye contact with each of his new Soulmates before the door swings shut.

It’s an echoing kind of silence that takes over then, in the front hall of their apartment, a space that’s barely big enough to count as a foyer.

He lost the battle not to crunch their mail sometime in all that, Andy realizes, looking down. “Uh,” he says, holding up the papers. “Oops?”

Brandon snorts. The look of surprise on his face at the sound sets Andy off, and then they’re both laughing, Andy stepping properly into Brandon’s arms, grateful for the relief of tension.

Brandon’s palm is warm between Andy’s shoulder blades when they finally calm. “So,” Brandon says. “They seem nice.”

Andy nods. It was a short conversation Andy had with them both, but he likes them. He’s not sure whether it’s gut instinct or if his first impression of them has been influenced by knowing they’re his Soulmates, but he does. He likes them.

He hopes that’s going to make things easier.

He’s not sure it really will.

“What were you and Nick talking about?” Andy asks.

“Nothing important,” Brandon says. “Introduced ourselves. I made sure to stick around once he told me his name.”

“Figured,” Andy admits, and he pauses, wrestling with the welling of guilt over what he’s going to say next, but Brandon deserves his honesty, always, and maybe more in this than most things. Even if it hurts him, though that’s the last thing Andy ever wants. He exhales. “They’re both really hot.”

“They are,” Brandon says, and Andy’s next breath comes easier when Brandon’s voice is free of any upset.

It would have been impossible to miss after meeting them both, and as complicated as his feelings are when it comes to his new Soulmates, it wouldn’t have felt right to ignore it, to ignore the potential of it. His new Soulmates _are_ hot. He’s allowed to think that. To acknowledge it, even if he’s getting ahead of himself in doing so, which. He is. He’s not even sure what _he_ wants with his Soulmates – what he wants to happen between them – never mind what Brandon does. What they do. There’s a lot they need to figure out.

“Thank you for suggesting dinner,” Andy says, stretching up to kiss Brandon’s cheek.

Brandon offers a little shrug and a wry smile. “Told you I wasn’t going to stop you from getting to know them.”

He did. Andy remembers. But this goes well beyond that. Andy’s never going to give Brandon up for them, but that doesn’t– can’t make this easy for him. Doesn’t make what Brandon’s willing to go along with – willing to set in motion – any less amazing.

“I love you,” Andy murmurs, and Brandon’s smile widens. Deepens. Andy kisses him again, pressing closer. Lingering.

“We still have to go shopping,” Brandon says, when they break for air, but his hands are on Andy’s hips, thumb slipping under the hem of his shirt to brush against his skin.

Andy remembers that too. It’s the reason, he guesses, that Brandon was in the hall at all, not waiting for him in here.

It doesn’t matter, though, not really. They’ve barely finished breakfast. Shopping and dinner and watching the game later are their only plans for the day. He smirks up at Brandon. “We have time.”

Brandon returns his smirk and ducks in to kiss him again.

–––––

There’s a knock on their door at five to six. Andy kisses Brandon’s cheek and goes to answer it. Nick and Other Brandon are there, unsurprisingly, waiting when he opens the door. There’s a pause as they all look each other over – and Andy hopes that’s not going to be a thing with them, these odd little pauses, hopes that they’re just happening because they aren’t used to each other yet – then Andy steps back a little, waving them both in.

“Hey,” he says. “Brandon’s in the kitchen. I think dinner’s almost done.”

Other Brandon smiles, holding out a cardboard box. “Hey,” he says. “We brought dessert.” Andy grins.

He leads them into the kitchen, waving them into chairs at the counter as he goes to stand near Brandon again, leaning around him to see how things are going.

“I’d offer to help,” Other Brandon says as he sits, “but, uh–”

“You don’t want him to cook,” Nick finishes. “He makes great desserts, but like. Real food? No.” Other Brandon shrugs, sheepish. “I can, though,” Nick adds. “If you need anything?”

Andy grins. “I think we’re good.”

“I think we’re done,” Brandon says, and he nudges Andy out of the way so he can reach the stack of plates Andy gathered earlier.

They eat at the table, where there’s enough room for them all to sit comfortably. Dinner is quiet at first, but it’s not a strained silence. Andy grins behind his glass when Nick and Other Brandon compliment Brandon’s cooking. Watching a flush appear on Brandon’s cheeks is never going to get old.

“He’s a chef,” Andy explains, because he knows Brandon’s not going to. He doesn’t talk himself up like that. That’s what Andy’s here for. “You should see what he can do with a steak. It’s the _best.”_

Brandon huffs, his knee bumping against Andy’s. Andy bumps him back, leaves his knee pressed to Brandon’s as they finish eating. He sits back as he finishes. Full, but not too full for dessert.

“Brandon–” he starts, and he frowns faintly when his Brandon and Other Brandon both turn to him.

He really needs to find a way to refer to his new Soulmate that isn’t ‘Other Brandon.’

Nick huffs a quiet laugh across the table. His smile is less shy now than the first Andy saw on his face. More open, more amused. “We– I used to call Brandon ‘Saader,’ if it helps.”

“It might,” Andy admits. It’s better than calling him ‘other.’ Better still if it’ll help eliminate any confusion caused by their shared name. He tilts his head, catching Other Brandon’s eye. “If it’s okay with you?”

Other Brandon– Saader nods. “I don’t mind.”

“Cool,” Andy says, and he pauses, then presses on. They’re not going to get to know each other if they let questions linger unasked. “Nick said ‘we.’”

“It’s an old hockey nickname,” Saader admits.

Andy sits up straighter. “You play?”

“When we have time,” Saader says. “It’s how we met.”

Andy beams. “There’s a drop-in league Brandon and I go to around here every couple weeks, if you’re interested?”

Saader smiles. “I might be.” Nick inclines his head.

Andy fiddles with his fork, excitement making it hard to stay in his seat. “You want to stay and watch the Hawks game?” he asks. He doubts they’ve had a chance to get their cable hooked up yet.

“Who are they playing?” Saader asks, curious.

“The Wild,” Andy says, and he blinks as he realizes Nick answered Saader too.

Saader groans. “Nick’s from Minnesota,” he explains. “We have _so much_ Wild stuff packed away.”

“What’s wrong with cheering for my home team?” Nick says, and he’s grinning now, eyes crinkling up at the corners. It’s an unfamiliar smile, but Andy thinks he’d like to see more of it.

“Nothing,” Saader says, shaking his head. “Nothing at all.” He’s grinning too, teasing. It all feels like a piece of a bigger, well-worn conversation, a glimpse into a relationship that Andy can’t help but be curious about.

“So,” he says. “Staying?”

There’s a pause as Nick and Saader meet each other’s gazes and have another quick, unspoken conversation. “Staying,” Nick says in the end, turning to Andy.

“We’ll grab dessert then,” Andy says, nudging Brandon a little. “Eat it in the living room?”

Saader inclines his head. “That works.”

Andy springs to his feet and sets about gathering plates. “Nope,” he says, taking Nick’s and Saader’s both when it looks like they’re going to help. He nods at the couch, the living and dining room really one large room. “You’re guests. Go get comfortable.”

Brandon laughs. “You may as well. It’ll be easier than trying to talk him into changing his mind; he’s too stubborn.”

“Thanks, B,” Andy says, leaning down to press a smacking kiss to Brandon’s cheek before he sweeps out to the kitchen, dishes in hand. He listens as Nick and Saader move over to the living room, as Brandon’s footsteps follow him into the kitchen.

He turns, abandoning the plates on the counter as the footsteps stop. Brandon’s leaning against the other part of the counter, watching him quietly.

“Was that okay?” Andy blurts, abruptly feeling like he maybe should have discussed Nick and Saader staying longer with Brandon first. Tonight was supposed to be his and Brandon’s, after all.

That was before Andy woke up with two more names. Two more Soulmates.

Brandon pushes off the counter, catches Andy with an arm around his waist and pulls him close. “It’s fine, Andy.” His voice is pitched too low to carry, like Andy thinks– hopes he remembered to do.

“Yeah?”

Brandon nods. “Let’s see what they brought for dessert, huh?”

“Yeah,” Andy says, and he stretches up to kiss Brandon properly, then he turns and snags the box.

Nick and Saader brought some sort of chocolate cake, already sliced. It looks delicious. Andy sighs happily. Brandon laughs. “Grab some plates, huh?”

Andy does. He watches eagerly as Brandon plates the desserts, then they take them out to the living room.

“Your cake,” Andy says, handing Nick and Saader each a plate before he settles on the couch, accepting his from Brandon as he sits down beside him.

Their couch is an L-shaped one. There’s enough room for them all. Brandon turns the TV on to what they have left of the pregame while they eat. It’s _good_ cake. It doesn’t take Andy long to finish. He and Brandon set their plates aside before puck drop, and Andy smiles as Brandon’s arm settles around his shoulders. He sinks into Brandon’s side, relaxing, but he isn’t quiet when the game starts, and neither, he’s delighted to discover, is Nick.

“Oh god, there are two of you now,” Saader says, shaking his head as they get to intermission.

Andy flashes him an unrepentant smile, but he’s thinking now, about the reason Nick and Saader are even here. About how easy it’s been, because it has been. Good and easy and fun.

They haven’t touched on anything serious yet, despite the fact that there’s a conversation they need to have. It hadn’t slipped his mind, exactly, but things were going well enough– he’s been enjoying himself enough that a serious conversation is the farthest thing from where he wants this evening to turn.

It needs to happen, though. The fact that Saader and Nick are here at least – still – is a good sign, he thinks. A sign that they want to get to know him a little more – more than they accomplished over dinner – if nothing else. And he’ll take that. It’s a good start. A reasonable one.

He needs to know if they all agree.

“So,” Andy says, and he’s left blinking at the shift in the dynamic of the room that single word brings.

“So,” Saader repeats. “I guess– we talked this morning when we found your name, about what– what we’d want–”

“What we’d be okay with,” Nick says.

“What we’d be okay with,” Saader agrees, nodding. “And this hasn’t– it didn’t– nothing so far has changed that.” Meeting him, having dinner with them, Andy thinks he means. “So I guess– we’re not gonna try to force anything, but if something– if it seems– we’re not opposed to more. To a relationship if, uh. That feels like where we’re heading.” His cheeks are red, but he’s holding Andy’s gaze. “Does that sound okay to you?”

Andy bites his lip. It’s a complicated tangle of emotions that question brings out in him. There’s relief – gut deep, instinctive – that his Soulmates even _like_ him. Excitement too – also instinctive – that they’d consider– that they’ve talked about more with him. But there’s hesitance, too. Lingering nerves at the thought of opening up his and Brandon’s relationship to them. At what that would mean. That he hasn’t made it clear that Brandon– that there isn’t going to be a relationship, or– or _anything–_ there isn’t going to be a part of his life as big as this that Brandon isn’t welcome in.

Nick and Saader are his Soulmates, and that carries some weight, but they’re essentially strangers. For all they’ve talked tonight, it’s only been surface stuff. He barely knows more about them than their names.

Brandon, though?

Brandon he’s known for years. Brandon he’s not giving up, not for anything.

“Whatever happens,” Andy says, and he’s surprised how firm his voice sounds. “Nothing happens without Brandon. He’s my Soulmate too.”

“I think we can agree to that,” Nick says, flashing him a small, crooked smile. It’s said so quickly, so easily, like Brandon’s inclusion was never in question. Maybe it wasn’t. Maybe– probably Nick and Saader talked about that too, after they met. Andy’s willing to give them credit there. Willing to believe that they wouldn’t expect him to freeze Brandon out, though the fact that he has _another_ Soulmate has to have been nearly as much of a surprise to them as waking up with another name was.

He exhales. Brandon’s arm tightens briefly around his shoulders, a subtle hug. “Good. Uh. That’s– good.”

He’s going to need to talk to Brandon about this too, find out if an eventual ‘more’ is something he’d be okay with, but he thinks this is – if not implicit permission – then at least encouragement.

“That all– that sounds okay,” Andy says, and he presses a little closer to Brandon as they wait for intermission to end.

*****

Andy bumps into Saader in the hall a few days later, just as he’s getting home from work. Maybe they both are. Andy doesn’t know.

Saader grins a little as he notices Andy. “Hey.”

Andy grins back. “Hey. Going in or coming out?”

“Going in,” Saader says. “I just got home.”

Andy bites off a ‘me too.’ It’s obvious he just got back. Saader saw him coming down the hall. He doesn’t need to say it. “You want to watch the game tonight?” he blurts. It takes some effort not to grimace at himself as he realizes what he’s saying, entirely unplanned, but he keeps talking anyway. He’s good at it. And he doesn’t hate the idea. “The Hawks are playing again. Brandon’s working so he won’t be around, but you can bring Nick, obviously.”

The nervous fluttering in his stomach as he finishes isn’t a new sensation, but it’s one he thought he left behind. It’s been a long time since he and Brandon first met. Since the thought of inviting Brandon anywhere made him nervous.

Saader smiles, though, and the sensation eases. “I’m in,” he says. “I’ll ask Nick when he gets home.”

“Sounds good,” Andy says. He waits a beat – only a beat, not long enough for things to get uncomfortable – then heads into his and Brandon’s apartment. Brandon’s in their room, getting ready for work when Andy makes his way there. “Hey,” he says, and he leans in the doorway, watching unabashed as Brandon tugs his t-shirt on over his head.

“Hey,” Brandon says, turning. He’s grinning as he meets Andy’s gaze. “Enjoying the view?”

“Always,” Andy says. Brandon’s hot. Watching him get dressed is never a hardship.

Watching him get _un_ dressed is pretty good too.

Brandon laughs as he closes the distance between them. Andy steps into his arms, humming faintly. “Know what you’re doing tonight yet?” Brandon asks.

“Gonna watch the game with Saader and maybe Nick,” Andy says, and he wrinkles his nose a little as the flutter of nerves returns.

“Sounds fun,” Brandon says, and he genuinely sounds happy that Andy’s going to be spending time with his newest Soulmates while he’s at work. Andy loves him _a lot._ “Text me score updates?”

“For sure,” Andy says. “Have a good night.”

He stretches up as Brandon leans in for a kiss goodbye.

“Enjoy the game,” Brandon says as he leans back again. He trails his hand over Andy’s ass before he steps away.

Andy laughs. “We will. Later, B.”

“‘Bye, Andy.”

Brandon heads out. Andy can faintly hear the sound of the front door opening and closing as he goes to get changed himself.

There’s a knock on his door ten or so minutes before the game is set to start. Saader and Nick are both there when Andy answers it. He grins as he lets them in, though his nerves are back a little. Not that they’d settled completely since he spoke to Saader earlier; he just did his best to ignore them. Their apartment is cleaner than it’s been in a while. “You want something to drink?” he asks. “Water? Beer? Coffee? Tea?” He pauses when Nick’s interest seems piqued.

“You have tea?”

“So much tea,” Andy says. “So much. C’mon.” He doesn’t realize he grabbed Nick’s hand until after he’s lead the three of them into the kitchen. He swallows, quickly letting go, and gestures to the cupboard. “See if there’s something you like, yeah?”

He leaves Nick to peruse the containers while he turns to Saader. Saader offers him a shrug and a small smile. “I’m good with whatever he decides on.”

“Apple cinnamon?” Nick asks.

“Sounds good,” Saader says.

“One of my favourites,” Andy admits, taking the container from Nick. He waves Nick and Saader towards the living room as he sets the water on to boil. “You remember where the couch is, yeah?”

“Pretty sure,” Nick says, dry.

Andy laughs. “Make yourselves comfortable then. I’ll be out in a minute.”

It takes him two trips to take the mugs and what’s left in the pot out to the living room when it’s ready, but he tucks himself into the corner of the couch and sighs happily at his first sip. It’s good tea. And, he thinks, good company, though they aren’t doing much of anything. They’re just sitting, the three of them, as the anthems are sung, but Andy can feel the knot in his stomach, if not dissipating, then shrinking a little. Making it easier to relax.

At least until puck drop. Even his tea doesn’t help much then, but this is good too. Fun. Critiquing plays with Saader and chirping players with Nick. He’s quiet about it, but Andy has a feeling there’s a wicked sense of humour behind his shy smiles. He’s caught hints of it already, little smirks and looks and comments that make Saader laugh. Andy’s looking forward to learning what those looks mean. To being able to follow those references. To maybe– hopefully having in jokes with Nick and Saader someday too.

It’s one of the fun parts of meeting your Soulmate. Of getting to know them. Of learning how you fit.

The good parts outweigh the bad – the nervousness, the worry that you won’t be compatible after all – pretty quickly, at least in his experience. He’s had years of good with Brandon. It’s been a long time since he thought about how unsure he was with Brandon in the beginning, before today. Before he asked if his new Soulmates wanted to spend some time with him.

He rolls his head on his shoulders, stretching as the game breaks for intermission. He looks to his right as he does. Nick and Saader have claimed one side of the couch – the half across from the TV – leaving Andy room to sprawl, his feet up on the other half. Nick and Saader are sitting closer than they need to be, touching but not overtly. Not pointed. They’re just comfortable. Comfortable being in each other’s space. Comfortable together the way Andy is with Brandon.

He smiles down into his empty mug. The good outweighs the bad in their experience too, it seems. Not that he doubted it, not right after meeting them, and especially not after having dinner with them. But it’s– nice, seeing that they have that. That closeness. That ease with each other. Knowing that his Soulmates are capable of it, of loving each other like that, even if he’s not sure he wants that with them, not yet.

There’s something comforting about seeing them together, though. Something that leaves a faint warmth in his chest.

He takes a deep breath and breaks the easy silence they’ve fallen into. “Refill, anyone?”

“I’m good,” Saader says, but Nick perks up at the prospect. “I’d love another cup.”

“Me too,” Andy says, and he gets up to make more tea.

*****

“This is us,” Andy says over his shoulder as he pushes open the door to the locker room. It’s about half full, he thinks, though the wall of noise, of shouted conversations as they enter make it feel like there are more people around than there really are. It’s a typical scene until a few of the guys notice the unfamiliar faces Andy and Brandon brought with them. Conversations die down then, curious gazes looking to them.

Andy rolls his eyes. “This is Brandon,” he says, gesturing. “We can call him Saader…” He trails off expectantly as he realizes that’s not actually something they discussed, but Saader nods, grinning, and Andy continues. “We can call him Saader. And this is Nick. They moved in across the hall a couple weeks ago, and they told me they play, so they’re here to show you losers a thing or two.” He ducks out of the way of the towel Hayesy tosses at him. “Especially Hayesy.” He grins, unrepentant, when Hayesy flips him off.

“Are you guys any good?” Mo asks, speaking up from his stall.

“Guess we’ll find out,” Saader says, easy. “It’s been a while.”

“Forward or defence?” Hayesy asks, and Andy blinks, because that somehow hasn’t come up.

“Wing,” Saader says. “Nick’s D though.”

“Good,” Hayesy, almost straight-faced. “We can always use more D.”

Andy’s snicker is lost under the groans. Mostly. Brandon catches his eye and shakes his head, despairing, but he’s fighting off a grin of his own. Andy winks as they continue on to their usual empty stalls.

“You can set up there,” he says to Nick and Saader, motioning to a pair of empty stalls that no one’s used all season. None of them are assigned, but they’re all used to gearing up in a certain place. No reason to rock the boat.

“Will do,” Saader says, and he and Nick head over.

The last of the guys who could make it this week show up as Andy finishes tying his skates. They’re much closer to filling up the room now. Closer than he was expecting. He thinks there may be enough people to ice two teams, _and_ two full line changes. It’s a pleasant surprise.

He bumps his knee into Brandon’s and stands. “Meet you out there, yeah?”

“Sure,” Brandon says, and Andy grabs his stick and heads out. He takes a few slow laps around the rink, getting used to being on the ice again, enjoying the chill against his skin, though that fades as he gets moving, properly warming up. He’s not by himself for long. Soon the rink is echoing with conversation and chirping, just like the locker room was.

Andy stops by the bench to grab his water bottle. He leans against the boards, looking around. Brandon’s warming up with Ben, a smile on his face that leaves Andy smiling too, even as he finds his gaze drifting to Nick and Saader again. They were rusty at first, slow in their steps, adjusting to skates again, but they seemed to shake it pretty quickly.

He has a good feeling about them being on his team.

Hayesy joins him at the benches, grabbing his own bottle. “So,” he says. “This is them.”

“This is them,” Andy agrees.

Hayesy’s heard all about Saader and Nick from Andy at work. He knows they’re more than just Andy’s new neighbours. “They’re hot,” he says, and he dodges the half-hearted elbow Andy throws at him.

“What?” Andy says. “You thought I was exaggerating?”

“Nah. Just wondering how a guy like you has _three_ Soulmates who look like that.”

The next elbow Andy throws at him connects solidly, even through his pads. The ‘oof’ he lets out is satisfying, though Andy’s not inclined to look away from Nick and Saader to take in Hayesy’s expression.

Hayesy snorts, and Andy does look away then, finally. “What?”

He’s saved from answering by Brandon and Ben’s arrival, everyone else trickling in not long after. It’s a big crowd. Andy’s excited.

“Are we ready to play?” Hayesy asks.

There are sounds of assent, then good natured arguing as they rearrange teams to accommodate Nick and Saader. Andy smiles, satisfied when they’re both put on his team, with Brandon, as expected.

They start the game. Having enough guys to sub in means Andy gets a chance to watch as well as play, and he finds himself enjoying his time on the bench more than he normally would, even with Brandon sitting next to him. They’re watching Nick skate circles around everyone except Saader, who seems equally as capable of keeping up with him as anticipating Nick’s next moves. It’s obvious they’ve played together before. And, once they shake the rust off of _really_ playing, that they’re good. Very good.

Andy can’t help but feel a sense of pride in that, though it has nothing to do with him, not really. He bumps his shoulder against Brandon’s, though, and grins up at him, excited. Brandon bumps him back, smile just as wide. He loves being out here, flying around the ice, the puck on his stick, cold air in his lungs. Laughing at over the top cellies. Listening to the solid crack of puck and stick connecting, of his skates carving through the ice. Brandon loves it. He loves it. They all do.

Andy’s happily exhausted by the time the game ends, by the time they’re all traipsing back into the locker room to get changed. He bumps his shoulder into Brandon’s again, grinning. Brandon bumps him back.

“Okay,” Hayesy says, once they’re all in the room, loud enough to cut through the chirping and the chatter, loud enough to gather everyone’s attention. “New rule. Nick and Saader aren’t allowed to be on a team together unless JT is here.”

Andy has to admit that’s probably fair – no one else can keep up with them – but he can’t just let that go. “What’s wrong, Hayesy? Too quick for you?”

 _“Yes,”_ Hayesy says, groaning, and everyone laughs.

Nick’s flushed, Andy realizes, glancing over. Maybe even blushing. Saader’s smiling, teeth flashing through his beard, but even his cheeks seem to be a little pinker than recent exertion would allow.

Andy’s charmed.

They head out to the parking lot in ones and twos and bigger groups, all in their own time, hauling their gear bags with them.

“See you next Saturday,” Ben says, halfway through putting his bag in his trunk, stopping to wave as they pass by.

“Later, man,” Andy says, and Brandon echoes him, but he can see confusion on Nick and Saader’s faces when he turns to them. “There’s no game,” Andy explains. “But we try to make it out to a bar or whatever between games. Losers’ll buy a round for the winners. Just hang out for a while, you know?” This way the guys who have kids can get home to them today, not too late, and Brandon and people with evening jobs can get to work tonight. It works for them, even if not everyone can make it every week. They all try, though, and it’s usually fun. “And you guys definitely earned your drinks. Think you’ll come by again?”

He has a pretty good idea what their answers are going to be – Nick is flushed still, beaming, and he’s not sure Saader’s stopped smiling since they got here – but there’s no reason for him _not_ to ask.

“It’ll be cool if we do?” Nick asks.

“Obviously,” Andy says. “You guys are great.” He bumps his shoulder into Saader’s. “Maybe too great, huh? Other team had no chance.”

Saader’s smile edges sheepish, but it doesn’t fade. “Think we’ll really end up on different teams next time?”

“Nah,” Brandon says. “Probably not. You’d probably be fine either way, but JT should be around next game anyway.”

“Wait ‘til you see him play,” Andy adds. “He’s really, really good too. Makes us all look bad on a regular basis.”

“Speak for yourself,” Brandon says. He’s laughing before Andy even has a chance to lift a hand to flip him off.

“Fuck you,” Andy says, but it comes out far too fond to be taken as anything but amused. “Dick.”

Brandon takes his hand and squeezes. “Love you too, babe.”

Andy huffs, but he squeezes Brandon’s hand back.

*****

“Comfortable?” Brandon asks, dry. Andy grins up at him, unrepentant. He’s practically in Brandon’s lap now, squeezed in with him on their end of the booth. Brandon can still grab his drink from the table though. It’s fine.

Brandon snorts and goes back to his conversation with Ben, arm around Andy’s waist tightening briefly. Andy goes back to people watching.

The bar is busy – not loud enough that they have to shout over music or other conversations to be heard – but busy enough that, if you’re not sitting nearby, you can’t hear anything. Busy enough that there are plenty of people to see, if you’re looking.

Nick and Saader are sitting across from him and Brandon, but further down the table. Saader’s arm is around Nick’s shoulders, Nick leaning against him but turned a little away. Sam and JT are here too, despite missing last week. Andy's surprised and still a little bemused at how easily Nick and JT seemed to fall into conversation once they were introduced. Nick didn’t seem this talkative when he and Andy first met. Maybe part of that was ‘meeting his Soulmate’ nerves, though. Andy can understand that. And it’s good now, seeing him and Saader getting along with his friends. Maybe they’ll be friends too, eventually–

Hayesy comes back then, setting a tray of drinks on the table and dropping onto the bench beside Andy. “Another round,” he announces, and begins passing out drinks.

Andy thanks him and takes a glass. Carefully. He’s a little drunk. Maybe more than a little? Enough to feel it, feel warm. He takes the shot, sets the glass back down – again, carefully – and tips his head to Brandon’s shoulder. Brandon squeezes his knee. Andy sighs.

This is good.

*****

“Another episode?” Brandon asks. “Or do we want to watch something else?”

“I’m good either way,” Saader says, and Nick nods, but Andy hesitates. They’ve been watching TV for _hours._

Brandon has the night off and he just wanted to crash, and Andy’s more than inclined to indulge him. He works hard, works late more often than he doesn’t; it only makes sense that he gets to relax when he can. He spent the morning in bed, Andy thinks, taking advantage of the time he had on his own. He was reading when Andy left for work, was _still_ reading when Andy got back, though he’d moved out to the living room.

They ordered pizza for dinner and Nick and Saader came by, less as a planned thing and more as something that happened naturally. More and more the four of them are gravitating towards spending their free time together – just him and Nick and Saader while Brandon’s working, but the four of them on weekends, before Brandon has to work, or on days like today, when he doesn’t at all.

It’s been fun tonight, and Andy wants Brandon to enjoy his time off, but he’s starting to feel antsy. “We could play something, maybe?” he offers. He doesn’t _mind_ if they want to watch more TV, but if they do he might have to go do something else for a bit. There’s been a lot of mindless sitting tonight.

“We could,” Brandon says, squeezing his knee. He’s looking past Andy when he continues. “Any requests?”

“If it’s a racing game Nick’ll win it,” Saader says. Andy’s not sure if it’s meant to be a warning or a statement of fact. Either way, Nick ducks his head but he doesn’t argue Saader’s claim.

Andy’s intrigued. He bumps his shoulder into Nick’s. “Yeah? Wanna prove it?”

Nick’s answering smile is small, but it has a competitive edge Andy recognizes. “Sure,” he says.

“Saader?” Andy prompts.

Saader shrugs. “I’m game to say ‘I told you so.’”

“Yeah, yeah. We’ll see,” Andy says. “That’s a yes?”

“Sure,” Saader says, and his smile matches Nick’s now. Matches the one Andy’s sure he’s wearing too. “Gonna enjoy watching you lose.”

“You wish,” Andy says, and he gets up to grab controllers.

It doesn’t take more than a couple of races to realize Nick is just as good as Saader said. Maybe better. Andy’s good, better than Brandon, maybe even better than Saader, but he’s quick to realize that he’s nowhere near Nick’s level.

“What the hell?” he mutters, as Nick comes in first _again._ Brandon snorts a poorly concealed laugh. Andy elbows him, but half-heartedly. He’s not _enjoying_ consistently coming in second, but he has a hard time being annoyed at Brandon’s laughter. He always has, even when it’s at his expense. He enjoys the evidence of Brandon’s good mood too much.

“If you want to win against him you have to talk him into playing CoD or Halo,” Saader pipes up.

“Now he tells us,” Andy grumbles.

“A little losing could do you good,” Brandon says, dry.

“Hey,” Andy says, elbowing him again. “Whose side are you on?”

“My own,” Brandon deadpans.

“Betrayed,” Andy says, holding a hand to his chest. “This is a _betrayal.”_

“Pretty sure I haven’t done anything,” Brandon says.

 _“Yet,”_ Andy says, and he pauses, turning to his left. “CoD, you said?”

“Oh god,” Nick groans.

Saader nods. “He’s terrible.”

“I’m not–” Nick breaks off at the look Saader shoots him. “Okay, I’m not… great? I’m not great.”

“Perfect,” Andy says, nudging Nick playfully before he gets up to switch games.

It takes half a match to realize Saader is just as good at CoD as Nick is at Mario Kart, but he starts another round when the first finishes, then another after that, just to be sure, and, “What the _hell?”_ Andy says, as the results screen comes up and shows that Saader won again. Handily.

“Told you you’d beat him,” Saader says. He’s smirking, blue eyes bright with amusement. “Not that you’d beat me.”

Andy looks skyward. He can feel Brandon trying not to laugh next to him. He shakes his head, fond despite himself. “Go ahead, babe. Laugh before you strain something.”

Brandon does then, carefree and not apologetic in the least. Soon enough they’re all laughing, Andy slumped into Brandon’s side, Nick slumped even further down the couch. How he manages that without sliding right off Andy has yet to figure out. Nick pushes himself a little more upright as he calms, though, leaning a little into Saader as they catch their breath.

“Any games you guys are like. Regular, human levels of good at?” Andy asks, finally.

“I don’t know,” Saader says.

“Fighting games?” Nick says. “Neither of us are great at Brawl.”

Saader inclines his head. “Yeah, true.”

“Oh thank god,” Andy says, and he scrambles up to change the game again, flipping Brandon off when he bursts into laughter again.

They play for a while now that they’ve found something they’re all about evenly matched on, play until it’s late enough that Nick declines the next match. “I should go,” he says, wrinkling his nose. “I have an early morning tomorrow.”

“Sucks,” Brandon says.

Nick nods as he turns to Saader. “Coming now?”

“Think I’m going to hang out a little longer,” Saader says, arching an eyebrow Andy and Brandon’s way. Andy nods quickly. They’re not kicking Saader out.

“Cool,” Nick says, and he tugs Saader into a quick kiss. The expression on his face as he sits back is one that almost feels like something Andy shouldn’t be looking at, but it’s gone again before he can look away, before Nick turns to them again, still smiling, though maybe not as softly as when he was looking at Saader. “‘Night, guys.”

“‘Night,” Andy says, and Brandon echoes him.

“I’ll be quiet when I come in,” Saader assures him.

Nick squeezes Saader’s shoulder as he passes by behind the couch. “I know,” he says. “Thanks.” And he continues down the hall.

“So,” Andy says. “Go again or watch TV?”

“TV?” Brandon says. “I think I’m done with games for the night.”

“I can do TV,” Andy says. He’s ready to relax again if they are.

“Sounds good,” Saader says. “Suits?”

“Sure,” Brandon says, reaching for the remote. “We can do Suits.”

Andy leans over him to put his controller on the table, and when he settles again he’s a little sideways on the couch. Andy grins and turns even more, settling with his back to Brandon’s side and his feet in Saader’s lap.

Saader blinks down at them, then up at Andy’s face, then he shrugs, rolling with it. Andy blinks back. His cheeks feel warm, suddenly, as Brandon’s arm settles over his shoulder, arm against his chest, palm resting on his stomach. Andy takes his hand.

Saader’s looking at the TV when Andy looks up again, but Andy can see he’s smiling too.

*****

“I’m home,” Andy calls, kicking off his shoes and hefting the grocery bags again.

He tilts his head, listening when he doesn’t get a response. He’s pretty sure he can hear voices, but it doesn’t sound like the TV–

He blinks as he walks into the kitchen. He’s not sure what he was expecting, but Saader and Brandon standing together, heads bent over a mixing bowl, Nick at the counter watching them, wasn’t it.

“Hey,” Andy says, and he bites back a grin when three sets of surprised eyes turn to him. “What’s going on?”

“Saader and Nick brought me brownies,” Brandon says. “Really, really good brownies. And Saader offered to show me how to make them.”

“Right,” Andy says, bemused. “Birthday brownies?”

Saader shrugs. “Didn’t have time to make an entire cake.”

Brandon laughs. “What would I do with an entire cake, huh?”

“You say that as if you aren’t going to have all these extra brownies now,” Nick says.

Brandon grins, catching Andy’s eye. “Won’t matter. _Someone_ likes brownies more than they like cake.”

It’s Andy’s turn to shrug. He can’t deny that, but so what if he does? Brownies are _good,_ especially fresh out of the oven, and Brandon thinks these one are great, so. “How long ‘til they’re ready?” he asks, eager.

“A while,” Brandon says. “We’ve barely started.”

Andy heaves a sigh, enjoying the way Brandon smiles, amused, as Andy plays up his disappointment. “Guess you better get back to it then, huh?”

“Guess we better,” Brandon says. He winks at Andy, then turns away, back to the mixing bowls and all the ingredients he and Saader have laid out on the counter.

Andy waits until Brandon’s occupied, then he starts unloading the groceries he went out to get.

Brandon doesn’t cook all the time, but he does far more often than Andy – usually lunch, or making food for when Andy gets home from work, sometimes, before Brandon heads over to the restaurant. Andy wouldn’t let it happen if Brandon didn’t genuinely enjoy it, but he does, and Andy appreciates it a lot.

That’s not happening today, though. Andy likes to treat Brandon on his birthday. Surprise him with some of his favourite things, if he can swing them. Usually he can. Today he should be able to.

“No peeking,” Andy admonishes, looking over his shoulder, catching Brandon’s eye too quickly for Brandon to pretend he wasn’t watching. “Brownies, babe.”

Brandon laughs but he turns away again, and Andy finishes putting things in the fridge. He goes to sit at the counter then, to watch Saader show Brandon the way he does things.

He may slide his hand over Brandon’s lower back as he passes by, but Brandon doesn’t react beyond a raised eyebrow, so Andy just continues on his way, grinning. He settles in the seat next to Nick, his arms crossed on the raised part of the counter as he watches.

Nick isn’t quite leaning forward, but he’s watching too, smiling a smile Andy thinks might be mirrored on his face.

Brandon and Saader are joking with each other, laughing as Saader nudges Brandon out of the way for different things while Brandon nudges him right back. It should be messy, but so far it isn’t, and Saader is managing to explain what he’s doing in between bouts of laughter.

Brandon’s nodding along as he listens, but his eyes are all crinkled up at the corners as he smiles, the kind of happy that makes Andy’s chest hurt in the best way.

“And we’re done,” Saader says, dusting off his hands. “All you have to do now is bake ‘em. Pretty sure you can handle that part on your own.”

“Pretty sure,” Brandon says, grinning, and he takes the pan over and slides it into the oven. “You guys going to stick around?” he asks, coming back over.

Saader hesitates. “We should go. I’m sure you guys had plans.”

“Not really,” Brandon says. Nothing that can’t be pushed back a little anyway, Andy thinks. They’ll have plenty of time in bed later. Plenty of time for Andy to treat Brandon after dinner. “You can stay, if you want?”

Nick and Saader trade a look, smiling still. “Maybe for a little while,” Nick says.

“At least until the brownies are ready,” Brandon says, and he starts putting measuring spoons in a bowl to take over to the sink.

“Ah,” Andy says, getting to his feet. “Nope, no way. I’ve got clean up, B.” He would even if it wasn’t Brandon’s birthday, but it is, and Andy’s not going to let him bake _and_ take care of clean up today especially.

Brandon pauses, smile turning sheepish. “If you insist.”

“I do,” Andy says, and he grins up at Brandon even as he bumps him out of the way. “Go sit.” Brandon does, laughing, and Andy takes to eyeing Saader. “You too,” he says.

Saader waves a hand at him, but he goes too, and Andy finishes gathering utensils and other things that need to be washed before they’re put away.

Nick’s standing next to him when Andy looks up again. He’s grinning, almost smirking, Andy thinks. “I didn’t bake,” he says, dry. “That mean I can help?”

“If you want,” Andy says, and he starts to laugh as he takes Brandon and Saader in, Brandon leaning forward with his arms crossed on the counter, almost exactly like Andy was positioned while he was watching them bake.

Brandon, for his part, affects an expression of innocence. Like Andy’s going to believe he doesn’t know exactly what he’s doing. “Goof,” he says, shaking his head. Even he can hear how fond he sounds.

Brandon smiles. “Love you too, babe.”

*****

Andy sets his phone aside, stretching, half his attention on the TV as intermission ends, the other half on the discussion Nick and Saader are having, continuing the commentators’ debate.

They’re at Saader and Nick’s tonight, though it hardly makes a difference anymore; they’re equally likely to find themselves in either apartment at the end of the day. Their apartment is getting to be as familiar to him as his own.

It’s just him and Nick and Saader tonight, watching the game while Brandon’s at work. It’s a routine Andy appreciates. He’s gotten used to spending time with them when Brandon’s not home, and it’s– nice, not having to be in his apartment by himself nearly as often.

He’s not the kind of person who enjoys spending hours by himself. He _can_ do it, has done it for years – still does, sometimes, if that’s how things work out – but he’s always happier not to. More than that, he _likes_ hanging out with Nick and Saader – or just Saader or Nick, occasionally, if either of them want time to themselves. It’s fun. _They’re_ fun in ways Andy couldn’t have predicted.

Nick likes shows about space. He knows a lot, and he makes a lot of jokes about it too. About his knowledge and about space. Jokes that Andy understands more often than he doesn’t now, and that realization was a surprise. He’s not _dumb,_ but he never spent a lot of time wanting to understand stars and planets and black holes.

Nick has, apparently. And it’s only become more apparent the longer Andy’s known him. Since he first watched one of those shows with Nick and Saader, since Nick was first comfortable enough around him to share his knowledge. And his jokes. Andy was right in that, at least. Nick does have a wicked sense of humour.

Nick lights up when he talks about what the latest episode they’re watching or the newest article he’s read is about, too. He lights up the way Brandon does when he talks about cooking, the ways Saader does if you indulge him in conversation about baking, which Andy makes a point of doing. With all of them. It’s cute how excited they get, and he likes doing it. Likes seeing them smile. Likes making them happy.

Andy pauses.

That’s not news when it comes to Brandon. He’s known that about himself for years. Saader and Nick though? He’s only known them for a couple of months.

A couple months is long enough to get to know them, though. To grow to like them, not just because they’re his Soulmates, but because of who they are. To like them– to _want_ them in a way that isn’t at all platonic.

Because, he’s realizing, he does. He wants– he wants to know what it’s like to hold Saader’s hand, and to kiss Nick, and to run his hands over Saader’ back, to feel the muscles that are so obvious under his clothes. He wants to watch them together, wants to learn what they like. Wants to have the image of what they look like when they’re indulging in more than simple hellos burned into his brain. He wants to be watched, and touched, and held down, maybe. He wants to spend the night curled up with all his Soulmates and wake up to sleepy morning kisses before they do it all again. He wants– he wants to have breakfast with them and tease Saader over his inability to wake up early. He wants to come home from work and have Nick and Saader be there too, with Brandon. He wants– he _wants._

“Think I’m gonna head out,” he blurts. He’s not even sure what discussion he’s interrupting anymore, or if he’s even interrupting one at all. He hasn’t been paying attention for a while. Isn’t going to be able to for the rest of the night, he’s sure, and he can’t– he can’t stay when his thoughts are probably all over his face. It’s earlier than he’d normally leave – the third period’s barely started – but neither of them question it as he gets to his feet. “‘Bye, guys.”

“‘Bye, Andy,” Saader says.

“Later,” Nick adds.

Andy flashes them both a quick smile and makes his way across the hall, into the quiet, comfortable stillness that’s his and Brandon’s apartment when no one’s been home for a while.

It’s early for him to go to bed, but he finds himself getting ready without having thought much about it, and he doesn’t see any reason _not_ to get comfortable then. He climbs into bed, tucks the blankets in around him and settles, bedside lamp providing enough light to see by, but not much more than that.

He scrubs a hand over his face, other hand resting briefly on his side, over Saader’s name. Well. _Well._ This– isn’t how he expected his night to end.

Should he have seen it coming? Maybe. Maybe he should have. They’re his Soulmates, after all, and he realized how hot they were the day they met, and getting to know them hasn’t made them any less attractive – the opposite, really – and they’re well past ‘getting to know each other’ now. Well past anything he and Brandon have talked about. Anything they agreed to the morning Andy woke up with new names.

The dinner they had later that day – their very first with Nick and Saader – they’d agreed, sort of, to a relationship, _maybe,_ if it felt right, but he and Brandon– they haven’t _talked_ about this, haven’t had a conversation about what they’d do, what _he_ should do, if it ever did feel right.

He doesn’t– know where to go from here. Doesn’t know what they’re both okay with. Doesn’t know if Nick and Saader are even on the same page as he is, and it’s hardly something he can _ask_ about, even if Brandon’s okay with it, which. Andy doesn’t know if he is.

Andy sighs, rolling onto his side and closing his eyes, leaving the lamp on at his back for Brandon to see by when he gets home. There’s nothing he can do now but talk to Brandon, and that can’t happen until Brandon gets home, so. Early or not, he may as well try to sleep.

It’s not a surprise he doesn’t manage it. There was too much on his mind to sleep.

Andy listens, eyes closed, as Brandon moves around the room, guessing at what the sounds mean. He isn’t usually awake by the time Brandon comes in – working evenings at the restaurant mean Brandon gets back late – but he listens to the rustle of fabric that must mean Brandon’s getting changed, then to the soft click as Brandon turns the lamp off, the room getting darker behind his eyelids. The mattress dips as Brandon climbs into bed next to him. Andy rolls over and presses his face to Brandon’s chest before he’s even had a chance to get settled.

“Hey,” Brandon murmurs. There’s a note of surprise in his quiet, tired greeting. “Did I wake you up?”

Andy shakes his head. “Wasn’t asleep.”

Brandon pauses then, and Andy doesn’t know if there was something in his voice, if it’s the fact that he was awake, or if it’s just that Brandon knows him that has Brandon noticing something’s off.

“Everything okay?” he asks. He sounds more awake than he did, his hand settling between Andy’s shoulder blades, over his name, his other arm around Andy’s waist.

“Yes,” Andy says, automatic, and frowns at himself. “No. Maybe?”

There’s guilt twisting in his stomach. Guilt and no small bit of nerves. There has been all night, despite the fact that nothing happened, that– that he’s pretty sure Brandon would never hold his feelings against him.

His feelings for his other Soulmates.

_God._

Andy swallows. “I was hanging out with Nick and Saader earlier, like we do when you’re at work, you know, just watching the game? And I just– I realized something. Then I came back here.” It’s a rambling explanation, light on the important points, and Andy’s left frowning at himself again. Not helpful.

“Realized what?” Brandon asks. There’s a careful note in his voice now, curious but not pushing.

“I want– them.” Andy says slowly. Haltingly. “I want– this. With them.” It’s not clear, what he manages to get out, but he thinks– he thinks Brandon will understand what he means. Brandon’s always been good at following along when what he’s trying to say gets muddled.

Brandon’s arm tightens around his waist. “Yeah?”

Andy nods, his face to Brandon’s chest. Part of him wants to apologize, but this isn’t– it wouldn’t feel right. Wouldn’t feel fair to Nick and Saader. He’s not sorry he has feelings for them, that he likes his Soulmates, even if he is sorry that it could– that this could be hurting Brandon. He tries to swallow again, mouth dry. “Is that– okay?”

Brandon exhales, long and slow, and Andy does his best not to tense while he waits. “That was the point of all this, wasn’t it?” Brandon says, finally. “To get to know them?”

“I know,” Andy says. “I know, but I– we did, and that’s _all_ we talked about, B. We didn’t– we never talked about what we’d do if _this_ happened.”

Brandon sighs softly. Andy wishes he could see his face, wishes he could better interpret the meaning behind that sound. “We didn’t,” Brandon agrees. “I had a feeling we’d get here, though.”

Andy pauses. “You did?”

Brandon huffs a quiet laugh, not quite as bright as it usually sounds. “They’re your Soulmates, babe. And I know you. Seemed like it was only going to be a matter of time once we met them.”

“I’m that predictable, huh?” Andy asks, rueful.

“You are to me,” Brandon says, and his hand is smoothing small, subtle circles over Andy’s back. “It’s not a bad thing. You love people. And Saader and Nick are pretty great.”

Andy bites back his instinctive agreement – Nick and Saader _are_ pretty great – in favour of another question, of a thought that’s been bouncing around in his brain for _hours._ “And you’re okay with– all this? Because we can– things can stay like they are, B, if you’re not. Nothing has to change.”

Brandon takes another slow, deep breath. “No,” he says. “No, you should– they’re your _Soulmates._ If you want them– if you want to tell them how you feel you should, babe. I’m okay with it. More than. I want you to be happy.”

 _“You_ make me happy,” Andy says. Brandon does. Brandon always has. It’s a point Andy feels like he needs to stress sometimes. Times like now.

“And so do Nick and Saader,” Brandon says, gentle. “It’s okay. You’re not replacing me, Andy.” He pauses, fingers tapping a rhythm on Andy’s hip. “I think they’ll be happy.”

Andy’s chest tightens. “You think?” He feels faintly guilty about how hopeful he sounds – and that’s something he’s going to need to figure out how to deal with if this is ever going to go anywhere at all – but Brandon’s answering tone is light, playful, and that goes a long way to assuaging it.

“Pretty sure,” he says. “They’ve stuck around this long, haven’t they?”

“Yeah,” Andy says, and he thinks his smile as that fact sinks in is audible in his voice. You’re under no obligation to spend any time with your Soulmate, not even at your first meeting. There’s nothing that says you ever have to see each other again. Saader and Nick are still hanging out with him and Brandon because they _want_ to be. “Yeah, they have.”

“They have,” Brandon says. “They have.” They lapse into a long moment of silence, one Brandon breaks, eventually. “We should get some sleep. Figure out how you’re going to tell ‘em how you feel in the morning. The real morning. After we sleep.” Brandon’s joking, mostly, but Andy can hear weariness creeping into his voice again.

Maybe the only surprise is that it’s taken so long. Brandon stayed up talking with him after a long shift. He has to be beyond exhausted by now.

Andy loves him so much it _hurts._

“Yeah,” he says. “Yeah, okay. I love you.”

Brandon pats his hip. “Love you too. ‘Night, Andy.”

“‘Night, B.”

*****

“Ready?” Brandon murmurs.

“Maybe,” Andy says, but he takes a breath and nods, and has to fight not to grin as Brandon kisses him.

“For luck,” Brandon says, still quiet, and he nudges Andy up from the couch to answer the door.

He and Brandon and Saader and Nick split up to separate apartments to shower after they get back after the game, but it was always the plan – a plan he and Brandon altered this morning, before they headed over to the rink – for Nick and Saader to come over after. Now.

“Hey,” he says, stepping back to let them in.

“Hey,” Saader says, and he bumps Andy a little, friendly, as he passes by.

Andy has a moment just to watch, to take in two of his Soulmates as they kick off their shoes. They’re both in sweats, Nick in a hoodie, Saader in a tee. Andy’s not sure which is worse: the way the thin cotton clings to Saader’s frame as he moves, or how soft – huggable – Nick looks in his hoodie. Though he knows Nick’s hoodie is hiding nearly as much muscle as Saader’s not quite showing off.

They head for the living room. Andy takes a quiet breath and slips between Nick and Saader as they walk, settling himself on the couch between them as they sit.

He hasn’t done that before – not out of any conscious decision _not_ to do it – it’s just– been natural that Nick and Saader sit together, and that he sits with Brandon.

Andy tilts his chin up when he realizes they’re both looking at him. This shouldn’t be a big thing, but it– it feels like it is, suddenly, and if _this_ feels big, what he and Brandon talked about is– it’ll be–

“So,” Saader says, bumping Andy a little. He’s grinning. Andy tries to relax. “We’re watching Goon, right?”

“That’s the plan,” Brandon says, and Andy exhales, sitting back in his seat as Brandon starts the movie. He tries to concentrate, to just enjoy the show and hanging out with his Soulmates, but he’s nervous enough about what he has planned later that even sitting still is difficult–

Nick’s hand falls to his knee. Andy’s stomach flips, even as he realizes his knee must have been bouncing. He quirks an apologetic smile up at Nick. Nick squeezes his knee, returning the smile, and turns back to the TV.

Andy folds his hands in his lap then, determined to sit still at least for a little while, but he’s more focused on Nick’s unexpected hand on his knee than he is on the movie and that’s making it hard.

Still, he’s stubborn, and expected or not, Nick’s attempt at getting him to chill out doesn’t necessarily mean his plan has to change.

Andy tips his head to Nick’s shoulder and waits. Waits for something, anything, for some sort of reaction, but Nick doesn’t react beyond squeezing Andy’s knee again.

Andy grins a little, settling a little more of his weight against Nick. He was right. Nick’s hoodie is soft, and his hand is a gentle but noticeable weight on Andy’s leg. Distracting still, though Andy’s starting to doubt he was ever going to make it through the movie like he meant to.

He finds his gaze wandering away from the screen again, down to Nick’s hand, then to his left, over to Saader–

Saader’s looking back.

Andy bites his lip, not quite startling, but his eyes widen as Saader’s gaze seems to drop briefly, to fall to his lips before snapping back up to Andy’s eyes.

Andy blinks, his breathing shallow. He’s not sure Saader’s breathing at all.

Okay.

Okay. His plan was to have a conversation sometime tonight, after the movie ended, but this– he can work with this. He _wants_ to work with this. He sits up, leans in slowly, holding Saader’s gaze. His heart is pounding in his chest, drowning out the sound from the TV, but Saader doesn’t stop him–

Andy presses his lips to Saader’s just briefly, barely long enough to be considered a kiss, but. It is– was. Saader inhales sharply and Andy sits back, hands fisted in his lap, waiting, waiting–

“Was that okay?” Andy blurts. Saader nods quickly and the knot in Andy’s chest eases a fraction. He swallows, turning a little, looking behind him. Brandon and Nick are both watching him too now, Brandon’s expression encouraging, Nick’s a little wide-eyed. “Nick?” Andy asks.

“Yeah,” Nick says. “Yeah. That’s– yeah.” He flashes Andy a small smile, cheeks pink. Andy grins back, tentative but hopeful. Brandon was right, he thinks. They _are_ happy he wants this. “Can I…?”

“Yeah,” Andy says, and he moves when Nick does, leaning in. It’s a longer kiss than the one he shared with Saader. One that segues into the next, then another, almost before Andy realizes.

His hands are on Nick’s shoulders when he finally sits back, soft fabric bunched between his fingers. Nick’s smiling, a brilliance in his expression unlike anything Andy’s seen before, not directed at him. Andy’s sure his expression matches, thrilled as he is with how this has gone– is going so far, but he can feel his smile fading quickly as he looks over Nick’s shoulder and sees Brandon starting to stand. Brandon hesitates a little when he catches Andy’s eye, quirking a smile that rings false and offering a little shrug. “I’ll just go–”

“Stay,” Nick says, turning quickly, before Andy can speak. Before he can gather himself enough to protest. The last thing he wants is for Brandon to _go._ If his– if this– if kissing Nick and Saader was going to lead to Brandon deciding he didn’t want to be here Andy never would have done it. He didn’t– he thought when they talked this morning– he thought Brandon _knew_ that.

Nick’s still talking, though, earnest in every inch of his quiet voice. “Stay. You don’t– we knew from the beginning– this was always going to include you, too, Brandon. If you want.”

He holds out a hand, not beckoning, not urging, but offering, maybe, Andy thinks.

“I’m not your Soulmate,” Brandon says, staring down at Nick’s outstretched hand. It’s said without venom, just a simple statement of fact, sad smile still curling at his lips.

Andy swallows around the sudden lump in his throat. He doesn’t– he doesn’t know how he missed _this._ He’s usually better at reading Brandon than that.

He doesn’t usually have a head full of other worries, though. Soulmate worries. Relationship worries. Usually. But this could be– this _is_ his new normal. Maybe not quite to the extent of last night– this morning, but. That’s not an excuse. Guilt is heavy in the pit of his stomach, tying his tongue, stifling his speech. It’s all he can do to listen, to watch as Nick shakes his head. “You don’t have to be my Soulmate for me to like you.”

“For _us_ to like you,” Saader emphasizes. His voice is as soft as ever, matching Nick’s, but there’s a conviction in his words. “For us to want you.”

“Stay,” Nick says. “You’re as much a part of _us_ as any of us are.”

Andy sits, tense through the moment it takes for Brandon to weigh Nick and Saader’s words. He bites back an out of place sigh when Brandon takes Nick’s hand and sits back down; there’s barely a reason for him to be relieved, despite his instinctive reaction. They haven’t solved anything, haven’t made anything right, not yet.

But he’s going to try.

Andy abandons his place between Saader and Nick and slips into Brandon’s lap, knees bracketing Brandon’s thighs, his hands on either side of Brandon’s face, cupping his jaw, his beard prickling against Andy’s palms.

“Are we okay?” Andy asks. “Because I think I messed up here. And I’m sorry.”

Brandon exhales, a wincing smile on his face. “No,” he says. “We’re okay, babe. I told _you_ all this was okay. And I didn’t say–” He shakes his head. “None of this is on you.”

“Maybe a little on me,” Andy says. “And I’m sorry for that.”

Maybe he can’t be expected to know what Brandon’s feeling all the time, but if he’d just paid a little more attention, if he’d been less wrapped up in his own thoughts… He thinks he already has a pretty good idea now what Brandon didn’t say, but it wouldn’t– shouldn’t have taken him this much, shouldn’t have taken him until now to realize it.

“It’s okay,” Brandon repeats, his smile a little less pained.

Andy shakes his head. Brandon’s always been too forgiving, in his opinion; Andy thinks he’d tease him about it a little if things were less serious, but they aren’t, and that’s not what’s important, not now.

He ducks in and kisses the tip of Brandon’s nose, then sits back enough to see his face again. “Now,” Andy says, voice soft. “Didn’t say what?”

Brandon drops Andy’s gaze. “Didn’t say that I was… worried… about how this was going to go for me. Maybe more than I realized ‘til you…” He shrugs one shoulder.

Andy brushes his thumb over Brandon’s cheek. “They’re never going to replace you, you know that right?”

Brandon’s the one who said that to him, that Nick and Saader weren’t going to replace him, but it’s obvious now that Brandon needed to hear it from him. That maybe he was hoping– needing to hear that again when he said it last, in the face of all this. In the middle of encouraging Andy to try for what he wants. Who he wants.

“I know,” Brandon says, eyes flickering briefly shut. “I know, Andy.”

“But?”

Brandon sighs. He’s still not meeting Andy’s gaze. “But I wasn’t sure– watching movies with your Soulmate’s Soulmate is one thing. However this escalated – and it– it was pretty clear it was going to – is another.”

Andy takes a deep breath. It’s not just about Andy not reassuring him, then. It’s about his place with Nick and Saader too. It’s obvious, in hindsight. Obvious that Brandon would be worried when the only conversation the four of them have had about this happened so long ago, in such broad, general terms.

Saader and Nick have made themselves clearer already, though, he thinks. Clear enough to have Brandon sitting here still, talking about all this.

“You wanted– want to stay, though,” Andy says, gentle. “You want to kiss me. And them.”

He doesn’t need Brandon to say a word to that to know he does. He can see it in Brandon’s expression, meeting his gaze or not.

Brandon wouldn’t have reacted the way he did if none of this mattered to him.

And Andy wouldn’t have asked that in front of Nick and Saader if he didn’t have an idea of what they want in return. They stopped Brandon from leaving. Saader _said_ they want him. Nick’s still holding Brandon’s hand.

He must squeeze it or something, because Brandon turns to Nick then. Andy lets his hands drop to Brandon’s shoulders. _“Do_ you want–?” Nick asks, and there’s a hopeful note in his voice – deliberate, Andy thinks – that nobody misses.

Andy allows himself a small smile as he feels some of the tension leave Brandon’s frame.

“‘Cause if you do,” Nick continues. “You can…”

Brandon looks past Nick then. Andy follows his gaze. Saader’s grinning. “Yeah?” Brandon asks.

“Yeah,” Saader says. “Yeah, definitely.”

There’s a long moment where nobody moves, then Nick and Brandon both do, shifting forward.

Andy can’t complain about the view.

He squeezes Brandon’s shoulders lightly as Brandon sits back again. Brandon squeezes his hip and– keeps squeezing, holding on. Andy watches him swallow.

“This isn’t just…” Brandon starts, then he trails off. His cheeks are pink above his beard, his smile crooked, unsure.

“For fun?” Saader finishes. He’s leaning against Nick’s back, sitting close. Brandon inclines his head. “Not _just_ for fun,” Saader says. He’s grinning, but there’s a serious note behind the playfulness.

“We want you too,” Nick says, still soft, and his gaze drifts from Brandon to Andy and back again.

Andy laughs, quiet at first, then louder even as all eyes swing to him. He can’t help it, can’t stifle the sound; he’s giddy with it, with relief and the realization that his Soulmates want each other as much as they want him, and the delighted smile on Brandon’s face as Nick’s words sink in doesn’t make it easier to stop.

“Sounds good?” Saader asks, lips twitching, eyebrow raised.

Andy swallows his laughter, quieting then. He leans against Brandon and reaches for Saader, hand brushing against Nick’s side. “Sounds great.”

*****

Brent lays the tattoo gun down on the tray.

“Done?” Brandon asks, shifting a little in the chair.

Brent smiles. “I think so,” he says. “But you tell me.” And he urges Brandon up and over to look at his newest tattoo in the mirror before bandaging it up.

Nick goes over to look at it with him, but Andy stays seated near the chair with Saader. He doesn’t need to get up to see the name wrapping around Brandon’s left calf now, just above his ankle, a dark green _Nicholas_ that’s been a long time coming.

He squeezes Saader’s hand, watching Nick and Brandon murmur to each other briefly before they come and sit back down, Brandon back in the tattoo chair, Nick on Saader’s other side. “Looks great,” Brandon says. Brent smiles and gets to work bandaging again.

It’s a familiar process for Andy, not the first time he’s been around while Brandon’s gotten a new tattoo. It’s not even the first time today; Brandon has Saader’s name already done, bandages peeking out from the sleeve of his t-shirt.

Still, Andy watches, trying not to let his excitement show, because he knows what’s coming when Brent finishes up, and Nick and Saader _definitely_ know what’s coming, but Brandon has no idea, and Andy doesn’t want to tip him off.

Brent finishes with the bandages and begins cleaning up, surreptitiously replacing everything that needs changing between people while Brandon gets up again and comes over to them. Andy stands, leaning into Brandon’s front, smiling as he takes in Brandon’s expression: a little pinched from the residual pain, but so, _so_ happy. The kind of happy Andy associates with first ‘I love you’s’ and first kisses and long, lazy mornings spent in bed, doing nothing but enjoying their time together.

Andy has a feeling that what’s about to happen is going to be added to the list.

He looks past Brandon. Brent’s finished clean up. He catches Andy’s eye and winks. Andy gives a little nod and hides his smile against Brandon’s shoulder, waiting.

“Who’s next?” Brent asks.

“Me,” Saader says, squeezing once more before he lets go of Andy’s hand. “I was thinking right arm?”

“We can do that,” Brent says, and Andy listens to him walk over and climb into the chair, but he doesn’t look away from Brandon’s face, away from the slow blooming comprehension, the shock.

Brandon turns, his jaw a little dropped, and Andy turns with him to see Saader grinning over at them both, to watch as Brent holds up a sheet of transfer paper, already ready to go. They sent a sample of the way Brandon signs his name days ago, not long after they made the appointment, when they discussed tattoo placement and made the plan. All this is just a formality, just for Brandon.

Just for Brandon.

Andy takes his hand and squeezes gently. Nick bumps his shoulder into Brandon’s, stays leaning against him.

“Next?” Brandon says. His voice is thick. Andy swallows around the sudden lump in his throat.

“Yeah,” Nick says, quiet as ever but no less impactful for it. “It’s my turn when he’s done. Surprise, B.”

“Love you,” Andy adds, squeezing his hand.

“You too,” Brandon says, automatic, then he looks away from Saader to meet Andy’s gaze. His eyes are over bright in the overhead light. “Really,” he says. “I love you,” and he looks to Saader, then to Nick. Andy watches him meet their gazes too, his own eyes stinging. “Thank you,” Brandon adds, almost too soft to hear, and Andy gives in to the urge to turn into Brandon again, to plaster himself to Brandon’s front, hugging him as hard as he knows how.

“Love you,” Andy says again, and he’s vaguely aware of Saader and Brent talking again, aware enough that he doesn’t startle when the tattoo gun starts up again, and he should watch this – is going to watch this – but not yet. Not yet.

He’s good here, in Brandon’s arms, surrounded by his Soulmates.

He always is.


End file.
